This stifling summer heat has left most of us seeking ways to cool down our houses. Just ensure you don't make the common mistake of trying out these popular cooling methods.
Looking for ways to keep your home cool without AC? Whether they're internet hacks or old wives' tales, some cooling advice might seem like a good idea to begin with, but many of these 'tips' can be ineffective and cost you more money.
With this in mind, we spoke to cooling and home experts to get the truth on what mistakes we should be avoiding this summer.
7 cooling mistakes making your home warmer – and how to avoid them
So if you want help with how to keep cool in summer whilst working from home or through the night, here are six things you absolutely shouldn't be doing.
Some of these mistakes might surprise you, but we have it on good authority that they're best avoided if you wish to keep your home cool.
1. Opening all the windows
During summer it can be more than tempting to run around your home and open all the windows in a desperate plea for some fresh, cool air. Unfortunately, this won't help you keep a bedroom cool like you may have thought it would.
Andy Kerr, Founder of cooling and heating company BOXT, explains, "When temperatures are particularly warm, opening up all your windows will let more hot air into your home, heating up your home and making you feel warmer."
Instead of doing this, Andy recommends strategically opening windows to create cross breezes throughout the day and then only opening more windows during the night to let the cooler air in.
2. Fans in unoccupied rooms
Although the cost of running an electric fan is not exactly earth-shattering, keeping fans on in rooms that aren't being used is unuseful in more ways than one.
"Homeowners often leave fans on in unoccupied rooms all day, hoping it will cool the temperature when they enter later on," says Andy. "However, fans don’t cool air, they simply move it around, meaning the temperature of your room will not lower."
Aside from not cooling your room down, leaving fans on in empty rooms will increase your energy bills and cost you more in the long run with repeated use.
There's also the fact that running an electric appliance generates heat, albeit a small amount it's still not helpful in keeping a room cool.
3. Not making full use of your dehumidifier
Whilst you may think having one of the best dehumidifiers on your side is only useful during winter, you're very much mistaken. There are several reasons to buy a dehumidifier in summer and keeping yourself cool is one of them
"High humidity levels can make the air feel warmer, so not addressing humidity can lead to discomfort even if the temperature is low," explains David Miloshev, an electrician and home improvement expert for Fantastic Services.
Aside from normal humidity, other tasks around your home can also add extra heat and humidity.
Things like cooking, using the oven, running the dishwasher or using a tumble dryer will make your house even hotter.
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4. Placing fans in front of open windows
An expert fan hack you may have come across is placing a fan in front of an open window. The aim is to promote fresh air throughout the home and to hopefully cool it down at the same time, whilst this will work at nighttime, doing it through the day can have the opposite effect.
Allan Reid, a glass expert and founder of Artwindows&Doors, says, "Fans circulate air, creating a windchill effect that makes you feel cooler, but they don't actually lower the temperature. Having windows open while using a fan blows hot air around and defeats the purpose."
It's more effective to know how to clean a fan, as this will significantly increase its efficiency and ability to make you feel cooler overall.
5. Keeping your curtains open
Whilst it may be tempting to let all that summer light in, simply having your curtains open through the day can make a huge difference in your home's overall temperature.
Allan says, "Keeping curtains closed during the day on windows that get direct sun (south facing) helps prevent the heat from entering your home in the first place. Blinds are less effective than curtains at blocking heat.”
Should you want to have a more helpful cooling effect to keep your bed cool overnight, then we'd recommend investing in one of the best cooling mattresses or a natural mattress protector
There isn't much better when it comes to temperature-regulating bedding than wool. This deluxe topper from the Woolroom will not only add an extra layer of comfort to your bed but also help you say goodbye to night sweats.
6. Forgetting about the heating
The last thing you'll be thinking about on a warm summer's day is turning your central heating on. But you'd be surprised just how common it is that people forget to turn off their heating before the hot weather hits.
"Something such as a fault in the system could mean that your radiators are turned on, which could make your home incredibly hot and waste a lot of energy," says Nicholas Auckland, home heating and cooling expert at Trade Radiators.
"Make sure to turn your heating thermostat off or set it to very low so that the heating has no chance of coming on," he advises. This is also a great way to save energy around the home.
Nicholas Auckland is a heating and energy expert with almost 20 years of experience in the industry, as well as the Managing Director of Trade Radiators. Nicholas is dedicated to finding the best heating solutions for every need, as well as optimising energy usage, reducing costs and helping others live with lower costing energy bills.
7. Creating too much heat indoors
It's no use shadescaping your home if you're combating that by creating heat when using your oven, tumble dryer or other appliances.
"Using appliances such as the oven and the hob makes indoor temperatures higher. Even running a tumble dryer or using another high-energy appliance can create heat, so this is always something to be wary of," explains Nicholas.
To combat this, he recommends using lower energy appliances that don't need to be turned on and working for a long period. For example, use your best air fryer instead of the oven or maybe even BBQ outside if you can. Just ensure you have explored our expert tips to keep cool in the garden in hot weather; otherwise, you'll be even hotter outside.
Avoiding these mistakes will be sure to help with keeping your home cool, however, if you particularly struggle with the heat the experts recommend investing in an air conditioning system. Whilst this might seem rather rash, summers are set to be hotter and hotter every year so you might be thankful for the step later down the line.
